Meet Jefferson County’s New Health Officer
Dr. David Hicks is a board-certified family medicine physician and served as Deputy Health Officer at the Jefferson County Department of Health (JCDH), where he managed clinical operations. Additionally, he served as Incident Commander for JCDH’s COVID-19 response efforts. Before this role, he was the Medical Director of Adult Health & Family Planning.
Before working at the health department, Dr. Hicks oversaw five clinic locations as Chief Medical Officer at Birmingham Health Care. He also has provided medical care in various settings, including urgent care clinics, correctional facilities, and an academic health system. He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians, Chairman of Alabama’s STD Medical Advisory Council, and a member of Alabama’s Rural Medical Service Awards Advisory Board. Dr. Hicks stated, “I thank God for putting me in a position to continue the legacy Dr. Wilson and the other remarkable Jefferson County Health Officers set forth. Our staff remain committed to our vision of a healthier Jefferson County for all by strengthening partnerships, engaging with communities, and promoting health equity.” Dr. Hicks is a Leadership Birmingham graduate, Freshwater Land Trust Red Rock Committee member, Kiwanis Club of Birmingham member, and UAB School of Public Health’s Community Engagement Council associate. In 2021, he received the NAACP Metro Birmingham Branch’s Community Trailblazer Award.
Dr. Hicks earned a Master of Public Health degree in Behavioral and Community Health Sciences at the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health and was a National Institutes of Health Fogarty MIRT Program research trainee at the National University of Science and Technology in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe.He later earned his Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree from Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine. He completed his Family Medicine residency at Christiana Care Health System and served as Chief Resident. “In my free time, I enjoy fishing, doing genealogy research, reading, and cheering on my favorite sports teams,” added Dr. Hicks.